王愷和   Wang, Kai-Ho   1907~1997

Kai-Ho Wang was born in Tongcheng, Anhui province, China, in 1907. After graduating from Wuchang School of Law and Politics, he taught classes in the house of Xian-Qiao Tao, one of Wang’s fellow townsmen. In this period, Wang was granted access to Tao’s collection of calligraphy copybooks featuring the magnum opuses by Zhen-Qing Yan, Gong-Quan Liu, Sui-Liang Chu and Bei-Hai Lee, following which he increased his proficiency in calligraphy. The artist began to make extensive acquisition of calligraphy copybooks after being appointed as the Forest District Officer of Anyang, Henan province. He modeled his calligraphy upon these masters’ signature styles, with specialization in the Stele of Meng-Long Zhang and the Stele of Wen-Gong Zheng. The artist attained high proficiency in calligraphy by diligently practicing the tablet inscriptions effloresced in the Han, Wei and Six Dynasties, as well as the traditions of handwritten calligraphy established by the masters in the Tang and Song Dynasties, thereby creating an eclectic yet unique mix of different schools with aesthetics and his personal touches. The artist was always very particular about brushstrokes. He tended to emphasize “writing with precision,” which was reflected in his running-cursive script – lucid and lively without compromising the quality of steadiness. The artist approached perfection of standard script by reference to the robust structure of tablet inscriptions of the Northern Wei Dynasty and the aesthetic charm of handwriting calligraphy of the early Tang Dynasty. In addition, the artist modeled his small standard script upon the works of Yao Zhong and Xi-Zhi Wang, and thereby evolved his own artistic style which is straightforward and forceful, clear and ethereal, as well as natural and graceful. The artist fled to Taiwan by way of Hong Kong after the Chinese Civil War, after which he was in charge of the Civil Service Senior Examinations in the Ministry of Examination. He was transferred to another post in the Examination Yuan in 1967. After his official retirement in 1972, the artist began to teach calligraphy at National Taiwan University, National Chengchi University, National Taiwan Normal University, and Tamkang University. “Calligraphy is the only source of delight throughout my life. Practicing calligraphy has become a matter of routine, without which I would feel uncomfortable. No sooner did I practice calligraphy, than I would immerse myself in the wonderland where no dust can alight on my mind,” said the artist. Wang devoted a lifetime to promoting calligraphy. He founded the Calligraphy Society of Self-discipline Studio and joined the Eight-Peers Calligraphy Society, after which he engaged in exhibitions on a regular basis. In 1977, the artist received the Zhongshan Literary and Artistic Creation Award to honor his remarkable achievements in calligraphy.